Folding box or crate.



G G r UNITED STATES Patented August 23, 1904.

PHILIP, J. HEALY, OE EAsT LOUIs, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING Box on CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,123, dated August 23, 1904.

g Application filed April 26, 1904.

. To a/ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, PHILIP J. HEALY, a citi- `zen of the United States, residing at East St.

Louis, St. Clair county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes or Crates, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to that class ofboxes or crates in which the `sides arelexibly connected by means of straps,so as to be compactly folded when not in use.

The Object of the invention is to provide a foldingbox or crate with flexible straps to which all four sides are connected at Or near their ends,y said straps having integral folded loops at one end, through which their other ends are adapted to be passed and then bent over to secure the box in its extended or Operative position. Furthermore, the inner faces of the end portion of the sides are provided with cleats to hold the separate and independent ends in place.r lThis object I accomplish by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan from the exterior of connected sides of the' box or crate ready for vfolding. Fig. 2 is a like view of the interior. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the box or crate ready for use. Fig. 4 shows the end pieces. Fig. 5 is a detail View showing the formation Of the strap-loop. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through Fig. 3. ,y 1

The box or crate is formed of the four sides 1 2 3 4, iiexibly connected on their Outer sides at or near their ends by the metallic straps7 8, which are secured thereto by nails, rivets, prongs, or screws, as shown at 9, the straps at one end projecting beyond the side 4 and, at their other ends provided with integral loops 10. These loops are formed by first bending the strap over, as at 10a, and then folding the portion beyond the bend around thestrap several times to form the loop. When thebox is set up, the free ends of the straps areA passed through the loops 10 and then bent back, as shown in Fig. 3.

In order to secure the ends 5 6 in place, I provide the inner faces of all the sides at their ends with cleats 12, those at each end being in longitudinal alinement, but spaced apart tov allow the sides to be properly set up, and the Serial No. 205,012. (No model.)

sides 1 and 3 are further provided with inner undercut cleats 11 1l, parallel with the cleats 12, so Vas to form dovetail grooves, in which the ends 5 6 are held against movement, the ends beingprovided at two edges with dovetails 5 6a to interlock with the undercut or dovetail grooves between cleats 11 and 12.

To set up the box OI' crate, it is simply necessary to raise the sides 1 and 3 perpendicular to side2 andv then lslip the dovetail edges of ends 5 6 down into the dovetail grooves formed by the cleats 11 12, (see Fig. 4,) when the interlocking of these dovetails will hold the box or crate in position to have its top l folded over and secured by passingthe strap ends through loops 10 and bending them back upon themselves.

The box or crate may be used without the ends when lard and paint in cans is to be shipped, as the cleats will prevent the cans from slipping out.

Having'thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, "is- 1. Afolding box or crate comprising a series of sides or members, paralleliiexible straps i connecting'said sides or members; one end of each strap being bent transversely and folded around to form box-loops of a width to allow the other ends of the straps .to be'passed for connecting the members, provided at one end with a box-loop formed of a series of transverse folds and of a width to allow the other end'to pass through.

In: testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

s PHILIP J. HEALY. Witnesses; I l GEO. D. PFEIEFENBERGER,

SAMUEL W. BAXTER. 

